John Carver has revealed he will be sacked - or backed - as Newcastle manager within 48 hours of their season ending.

Interim head coach Carver insists he has still not ruled himself out of carrying on in the job, despite the Toon’s scrape with relegation.

The club have cancelled a Player of the Year celebration dinner, which was to in aid of the Newcastle United Foundation, because of their uncertain plight.

The Magpies are two points ahead of third-bottom Hull, with a trip to already-down QPR on Saturday followed by a final home game against mid-table West Ham.

Carver, who has five years remaining on an assistant manager’s contract, was asked if he accepted he was no longer in “pole position” to get the top job.

He said: “No. Because I have the job. They have to take it off me now. I’m going nowhere!

“We have focused on these two games. I want no discussions from now until the West Ham game is over. We have to keep all our focus on it. If we win at QPR, and results go for us [Newcastle need Tottenham to avoid defeat at home to Hull], we are safe. Then I want to win the West Ham game.

“I have never, ever thought of myself as a caretaker. When I signed that deal it had nothing in it about 'caretaker'. I am not a caretaker. I told the players that from day one. They understood it and whether it has affected them I cannot say. It has not affected my performance.”

“I will say this again, because of the circumstances I would love to see how anyone else would react.

“I spoke to Tony Pulis after the game and he said it was quite incredible what I’d had to put up with, regarding injuries and suspensions. That is bad luck. It is not mismanagement by the club.

"I had enough players [but] at one stage I had a full team missing. Our squad of 26 is not a bad size – not many people have 11 players missing at one time.”

Newcastle have decided there will be no end of season knees-up because of their league position – and have called off the charity dinner that was expected to raise tens of thousands of pounds.

A club letter said: “Newcastle United Football Club has made the very difficult decision that in view of the current league position, it would not be appropriate for the team and coaching staff to be celebrating the season and collecting awards at a time when our only focus is on the next two games and securing Premier League status.

“The club would like to extend its apologies for any inconvenience caused to those businesses who had purchased tables to support the event, but we hope that you can appreciate our decision has not been taken lightly.

“The club will work with the Foundation to find another opportunity to support them to raise funds for their outstanding work, which engages with over 50,000 people in our community.”

Carver has defender Daryl Janmaat back from suspension for the visit to Loftus Road, and striker Papiss Cisse pushing for start after injury and suspension.

On facing QPR he said: “Listen, if I was Chris Ramsey and I had just lost at Manchester City by the scoreline he lost by [6-0], then I’d be at my players to put on a show.

“Let’s not forget, this is their last home game in the Premier League for at least a season. And they did take a little bit of a beating last weekend, so I’d want my players to put on a show.”